For the first time, scientists managed to measure seismic waves passing through the core of Mars and find out what is inside this planet. writes about him Universe Today.

Of course, it was not possible to get a direct image of the Martian core. At first, astronomers using modern technologies and experience working with the Earth’s core built large models, which were later confirmed by seismic measurements of various NASA instruments delivered to the Red Planet as part of the InSight mission.

As it turned out, the Martian core is completely liquid, composed of molten iron and rich in sulfur. It also contains small amounts of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. And unlike the terrestrial one, it has a much lower density. For comparison: the Earth has two layers – a liquid outer layer and a solid inner layer. Both parts contain predominantly iron and nickel.

Scientists note that the differences between the cores of Earth and Mars point to the different formation histories of each planet.

“The properties of a planet’s core may be a brief explanation of how the planet formed and evolved dynamically over time. The uniqueness of the Earth’s core allows it to create a magnetic field that protects us from solar winds and allows us to store water. Astronomer Nicholas Nicholas from the University of Maryland (USA) “The core of Mars does not form this shield, so the state of the planet’s surface is hostile to life,” Schmerr said.

Interestingly, despite its liquid iron core, Mars does not appear to have a spherical magnetic field. But it’s in the past. This is evidenced by paleomagnetism studies of Martian rocks.

Magnetic memory is stored in rock crystals for millions or even billions of years. On Earth, scientists use this data to track the movement of tectonic plates, for example. Now researchers want to find out how and exactly when Mars lost its magnetic field.